Briefings on climate risks, heritage projects, and cultural programming were presented to Perth council
PERTH — Perth councillors received a wide ranging series of briefings at the Jan. 13 committee of the whole meeting, including updates on climate adaptation planning, the federal high speed rail project, a landscape design competition connected to the Tay Basin and Red House, and a grant application to support the 2026 Stewart Park Festival.
Climate adaptation planning
Perth committee of the whole received for information a presentation from Kirsten Brouse of the Climate Change Advisory Panel outlining how the Town can prepare for the increasing impacts of climate change.
Brouse said climate adaptation planning helps municipalities identify emerging climate risks and put practical measures in place to reduce impacts on residents, infrastructure and municipal services. Public climate data shows Perth is likely to experience significantly more extreme heat and increased precipitation over the next 30 years. Days above 30 C are projected to more than double, heat waves are expected to last longer and flood risks are changing. These shifts have implications for public health, the local economy and the lifespan of municipal assets.
The presentation outlined three focus areas. The first is community level impacts, including economic resilience, tourism, housing standards and public comfort, such as increasing shade and cooling in downtown areas. The second focuses on human health and safety, building on existing emergency management and risk assessment work. The third centres on municipal assets and service delivery, ensuring roads, buildings, lagoons and public spaces remain reliable under future conditions.
Adaptation planning also strengthens asset management by improving council’s understanding of service risks and long term costs. Funding support may be available through the Green Municipal Fund’s Climate Ready Plans and Processes program, expected to reopen later this winter or spring.
Alto high speed train overview
High speed rail is gaining momentum in eastern Ontario. On Jan. 13, Perth council received an update on the federal High Speed Rail project from Joel Lees and Jennifer Faulkner of Alto, formerly VIA HFR, the Crown corporation leading the initiative.
The proposal envisions a 1,000 kilometre fully electrified rail network with trains travelling up to 300 km/h. With 20 to 30 departures daily, travel times would be reduced to about two hours from Ottawa to Toronto and one hour to Montreal. Planned stations include Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Laval, Montreal, Trois Rivières and Quebec City.
Lees and Faulkner said the project could ease congestion on highways and at airports, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and change how people live, work and travel across the region. Construction will begin with the Ottawa to Montreal segment, announced Dec. 12, while other sections advance in parallel.
The economic impact is projected at $24 billion annually, with more than 50,000 construction jobs. Public engagement launches soon, including a Perth open house on March 4 at the Perth Lions Club.
Councillor Jim Boldt asked whether the corridor could eventually branch into smaller communities. Lees said upcoming corridor maps will show broad areas under consideration and that community input could help shape future decisions.
Perth landscape ideas competition
Town staff have partnered with local architect Adam McKenzie to launch a landscape competition aimed at re imagining public spaces.
The competition is connected to the Red House project and the future of the Tay Basin area. It builds on the relocation and planned re erection of the historic Red House using reclaimed logs, a process described as metastylosis, or the renewal of heritage in a new location.
The Tay Basin was identified as a key civic space linking Stewart Park, the Rideau Trail, the Tay Canal, downtown streets, cultural facilities and major public amenities. With the Red House proposed for this central location, the site is seen as an opportunity to strengthen Perth’s public realm.
In partnership with town staff, a design competition has been launched with graduate students from the University of Toronto’s Landscape Architecture program. Students will develop proposals for a flexible year round public space that can accommodate markets, festivals, daily recreation, active transportation, parking, accessibility and major events.
A national jury including leading Canadian landscape architects and The Globe and Mail’s architecture critic has agreed to participate. The competition is expected to generate ideas that balance heritage, function and design, while raising Perth’s profile.
“We were really excited about it when Adam brought up this idea because we felt like it was an opportunity for us to support post secondary education, while also bringing innovation, place making and community engagement to help us think about spaces in a different way here in the Town of Perth,” said Cathy McNally, director of Community Services.
Grant Application for Stewart Park Festival
Perth committee has approved the submission of a grant application to the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund to help support entertainment costs for the 2026 Stewart Park Festival. The application would request up to $18,500 toward programming.
The fund supports cultural events that attract new visitors and increase tourism. The Stewart Park Festival has a strong record of securing grants and was identified as the most suitable candidate after staff reviewed eligibility criteria.
Town staff said the application is a strategic way to offset rising operational and entertainment costs and aligns with the town’s strategic plan, which emphasizes collaboration with community partners and other levels of government.
Each Ontario municipality may submit one application per year. Staff determined the Stewart Park Festival was the strongest option based on its scale, reputation and ability to draw visitors from outside the community.
“The grant would help the sustainability of the festival, so we are very excited about the potential for them to receive funding. It would support marketing for the event itself,” McNally said.
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